The answer to this question –which could be interpreted as a joke or as something “esoteric”- is yes, houses can get sick. And although we may think that the space, we live in is only physical, the truth is that it reflects a lot of who we are and even how we feel. In short, our house is a business card that speaks to the world and at the same time it’s a sponge that absorbs everything we convey to it.

In a recent article on emotional decoration, we talked about all the burden that is loaded on a space by filling it with our sentimental values: memories, awards, inheritances, etc. According to the approach of the famous English decorator Ilse Crawford, the objects (paintings, books, photos, etc.) that we have in our homes generate emotions; therefore, you should know how to play with those objects so that the emotions they generate are pleasant and create harmonious spaces.

So, houses as an extension of who we are and just as those who inhabit them, can get sick. Clutter, lack of cleanliness, poor ventilation, poor lighting are all factors influencing the “health” of your home and even your own.

And you may wonder, how can the disease of your home affect you? Simple: like an epidemic. The first symptom is moodiness, which is generated from the combination of all the aforementioned factors or just by one of them. In fact, environmental psychology states that when we live in a chaotic environment, the same will favor stress and generate both physical and psychological effects.

You can heal your home

Next, we will share 6 rules based on some of the recommendations made by Marie Kondo in her book “The Magic of Order,” which will help you keep your home healthy.

No. 1. Order, order, order. The point isn’t becoming a compulsive maniac; the idea is simply trying to create a strategy based on the premise of “having everything in its place.” Living in an organized environment will make our day to day life easier, since it allows us to take advantage of and optimize our time better. Just think about the time (and frustration) that you can save from having keys (car and house), cleaning cloths and utensils, shoes, dirty laundry, the dog’s leash, etc. in a specific place.

In this regard, the Japanese author explains that when things are put in order we also put the past in order. It’s like readjusting everything, “closing chapters” and moving forward.

No. 2. Release, empty, let go. You can name it what you prefer, but the point is basically to make room for the new by getting rid of the old, what is useless. Today, many tv shows deal with the problem of hoarders, and if you take a peek at the spaces where those who suffer from this disorder live in, you will see how sad their lives are.

Saving something for later or “just in case,” speaks about a combination of pessimism with insecurity. Here’s where the fashionable “Law of Emptiness” comes into play. The “Law of Emptiness” or “The Law of Empty Spaces” states that “anything that is vacated tends to be filled up. Everything we let go of tends to be replaced by something else.”

In this regard, Marie Kondo says that when we get attached to an object, we are actually clinging to the past and therefore limiting the opportunity to grow and move forward. So, out with the old, so that the new comes in!

No.3. Change is life. This recommendation goes in line with the above. In other words, we are talking about renovation. One way to do that is to redecorate and that doesn’t imply spending a fortune on it.

You can achieve that just by rearranging the spaces, redistributing the furniture or painting the walls. Remember that cool tones are the best for bedrooms and the more energetic ones for common areas or areas with more movement.

No. 4. Let the smell of cleanliness take over.  And we’re not talking about air fresheners or using hospital-scented products. Cleaning, even when it’s done simply with soap and water, can make the difference. But if   you are one of those who love fragrances, then choose a special scent.

Remember that scents connect us with emotions and memories. Then, give priority to what is pleasurable and positive. Pleasant scents improve your mood and promote harmony. If that’s what you want for your home, be sure to choose incense sticks or air fresheners without chemicals.

No. 5. Give value to the windows. The windows are your best friends. Many people almost keep themselves vacuum-packed in their homes because the temperature is either too hot or dust can come inside the house.

Opening the windows and letting the air circulate will bring new life to your home. This also applies to light. Natural light is unique and, like our grandmothers used to say, frees the spaces of negative energies.

No. 6. Priority to joy. An interesting thing that Marie Kondo proposes is to set aside the idea of use or function to give priority to how an object makes us feel. This is not easy, especially when it comes to something received as a gift from someone special or a family inheritance.

However, if these objects make us feel melancholic or sad, it’s better to donate them so that others can take advantage or appreciate them without that emotional burden that we imprint on them. So, keep everything that makes you smile, since positive emotions will arise when you look at them, bringing joy to the present and flooding the space with that energy.

As you can see, a sick house is just the result of neglect. So, cheer up and get down to business.